Presented at the International PBL Conference, Mexico in 2008

1. How students interact with
information in a PBL
setting
Lorna Dodd
Liaison Librarian
University College Dublin,
Belfield, Dublin 4,
Ireland
Lorna.dodd@ucd.ie
PBL & Information Literacy:

2. Background
• Only Veterinary Medicine programme in Ireland
• Review in mid 1990s resulted in introduction
PBL in the 2 pre-clinical years
• Students attend traditional lectures & lab
sessions as well as PBL module

3. What is Information
Literacy?
“recognize when information is needed
and have the ability to locate, evaluate,
and use effectively the needed
information.” (Association of College
Research Libraries, 2000)

4. Why is Information Literacy
important in PBL?
• Self-directed learning
• Development of life-long transferable
skills
• Critical and reflective thinking

5. Identify
information need
Identify the
most appropriate
source
Effectively
retrieve relevant
information
Use the
information in an
ethical way
INFORMATION
LITERACY
Evaluate the
reliability,
relevance,
currency &
appropriateness
of the
information

6. Rationale
• No reading lists for PBL module
• How are students finding information?
• Does this affect the way they use the library?
• Most of the literature comments on how PBL impacts the
library
• How does PBL impact students behaviours?

7. Methodology
• Data was collected regarding both PBL and non-
PBL experiences
• Data was collected from all student
participating in PBL using a questionnaire
 Quantitative data
 Open ended qualitative questions
• Data collected from 5 academic staff – PBL
tutors
 Semi-structured interviews

8. The Library
• 95% of students consider the library to be important in PBL
 “While other resources e.g. Internet are useful, information gathered
from the library is more reliable and often more relevant”
• Those who did not think the library was important in PBL also
experienced difficulties with PBL
• Half of students spent longer in the library for PBL because of the
way PBL affects how they find and use information
 “Requires more research”
 “Learning involved is more intensive”
 “Information is needed from a variety of sources”
• Staff feel:
– Students have a much greater need of the library in PBL
– PBL encourages students to use the library much earlier
 “PBL forces them to look into sections and shelves they wouldn’t have
otherwise done”

9. Information Literacy Skills
• 40% of students experienced difficulty finding information for
PBL
• Most students consider information seeking skills very important
or extremely important in PBL because:
 “You need to be able to find information…quickly for the next session”
 “As a qualified vet you have to do your own PBL”
 “[PBL] enables individuals to develop ability carry out research
independently”
 It’s pretty much the purpose of PBL to work things our for yourself”
• Those who value information skills were able to search for
information more easily
• Academic staff expect students to
 “Find their own resources”
 “Learn what type of resources are available”

10. Choosing Resources
Non-PBL work
• Use one or two resources
as preferred
• Select their own resources
for non-PBL work did so
because of internal
factors
 “”[I] don’t follow
lectures”
PBL work
• Did not prefer one single
resource but used a variety
of resources
• Select their own material
for PBL work did so
because of external
factors – PBL
 “PBL is based on your own
initiative”

11. Main findings
All those who spent more time
in the library for PBL
considered information literacy
important in PBL
Students who
selected their own material:
Considered information literacy skills
more important & displayed
higher levels of
information literacy skills
Students who feel the library
is important in PBL
display higher levels of
information literacy

12. Convert Learning
Outcomes into
search strategies
Identify what
kind of
information they
need and which
resource to find
it in
Identify the
most appropriate
source
Effectively
retrieve relevant
information
Apply the
information to
the problem &
integrate it into
their existing
knowledge
Use the
information in an
ethical way
APPLYING
INFORMATION
LITERACY TO
PBL
Identify an
information need
Evaluate the
reliability,
relevance,
currency &
appropriateness
of the
information

13. • Anatomy of the lung
 Factual Information –
Textbooks
• Allergens and treatment
 Current Research – Journal
Articles or Websites
• Is the information reliable?
• Is the information relevant to
problem?
 Location
 Availability of treatment
The Coughing Horse

15. Main Findings
As a result of PBL:
 Librarian is PBL tutor
 Knows problems & therefore required
resources
 Talks to students about resources
they use
 Close collaborative relationship with
faculty
 Information literacy delivered after
first problem – in context
Start of PBL:
 Information literacy
delivered during
orientation
 Librarian in
support/admin role

16. Main Findings
• Facilitator/Tutor plays important role
Results showed that facilitators differed
Some recommended material and directed
students in finding information
These students selected material
themselves less
Displayed lower levels of information
literacy – never verified information by
checking another source

17. Conclusion
• Information Literacy should be consciously developed
Facilitators can -
 encourage students to think about information they need
 challenge students to critically evaluate the information
they find and the source
• Information Literacy can be:
 Included as a learning outcome
 An assessment criteria
• Involve librarians in curriculum development:
 Ensure there are sufficient resources
 Help students develop necessary skills

18. Running or planning a
PBL course?
Don’t forget your
friendly librarian!!!
“Know where to find
information and how to use
it. That’s the secret of
success.”
Albert Einstein

19. References
• Association of College Research Libraries (2000), ‘Information Literacy Competency
Standards for Higher Education’ [online], American Library Association. Available
from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm.
• Dodd, L. (2007) ‘The impact of Problem-Based Learning on the Information Seeking
Behaviour and Information Literacy of Veterinary Medicine Students at University
College Dublin’, Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 33(2), pp.206-216
• Eskola, E (1998) ‘University students’ information seeking behaviour in a changing
learning environment – How are students’ information needs and use affected by
teaching methods?’ Information Research vol. 4(2)
• Oker-Blom, T. (1998) ‘Integration of Information Skills in Problem Based Curricula’,
64th IFLA General Conference, August 16-21, 1994, Amsterdam, pp.1-8, IFLA
• Rankin, J.A. (1996) ‘Problem-based learning and libraries: a survey of the literature’,
Health Libraries Review, vol. 13, pp.33-42
• Silen, C & Uhlin, L (2008) ‘Self-directed learning – a learning issue for students and
faculty’ Teaching in Higher Education.